Abraham Nordheimer | The Canadian Encyclopedia

article

Abraham Nordheimer

Abraham Nordheimer. Music dealer, publisher, teacher, b Memmelsdorf, Bavaria, 24 Feb 1816, d Hamburg 18 Jan 1862 while on a visit to Germany. With his younger brother Samuel he followed his older brother Isaac, an Oriental scholar, to New York in 1839. He later opened the A. & S. Nordheimer music store and publishing firm with his brother Samuel.

Nordheimer, Abraham

Abraham Nordheimer. Music dealer, publisher, teacher, b Memmelsdorf, Bavaria, 24 Feb 1816, d Hamburg 18 Jan 1862 while on a visit to Germany. With his younger brother Samuel he followed his older brother Isaac, an Oriental scholar, to New York in 1839.

Several 20th-century accounts relate that a Canadian officer on a visit to New York induced Abraham to move to Kingston, Canada West (Ontario), as music teacher to the family of Sir Charles Bagot, governor general of British North America 1841-3. There is proof only that Nordheimer was a newcomer in Kingston in July 1842, when he advertised as a piano, voice, and violin teacher. Soon afterwards he opened a music store. In 1844 tickets for the Kingston Harmonic Society could be obtained at his store - a shred of evidence for another claim that he had founded a musical society.

In the spring of 1844 Abraham moved to Toronto and, with Samuel, opened the A. & S. Nordheimer music store and publishing firm. Abraham was on the committee of the Toronto Philharmonic Society in the late 1840s and played second violin in its orchestra. A successful businessman, he also was prominent in musical circles and active in the Toronto Hebrew Congregation. As the senior partner in A. & S. Nordheimer, he deserves the chief credit for having established Canada's pioneer music specialty house.

See also Albert Nordheimer (his son).

Further Reading

Challenge yourself - take the CC Quiz!

The Canadian Encyclopedia is a project of Historica Canada, a non-profit, nonpartisan organization devoted to teaching Canadians more about our shared country.  We also produce the Heritage Minutes and other programs. If you believe all Canadians should have access to free, impartial, fact-checked, regularly updated information about Canada’s history and culture in both official languages, please consider donating today. All donations above $3 will receive a tax receipt.

Book a Speaker